Automatic razor



Feb. 23, 1954 E. BcBKowlcz 2,669,776

AUTOMATIC RAZOR Filed July 14, 1952 Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED Slrt'iie DFFICE AUTOMATIC RAZOR Emilien. Bobkowicz, Westmount, Quebec, Canada Application July M, 1952, Serial No. 298,769

(Cl. Sil-AS) 1i Claims. l

The present invention relates to dry shaving razors more particularly to the type of dry shaving razor which is manually actuated by contact with the skin surface to be shaved.

There are many and varied forms of dry Shavers available which utilize a rotating or oscillatingl blade, or series of blades, in combination with a stationary perforated screen to achieve the desired shearing action. Many of these employ some form of drive, for example, electric motors, magnetic solenoids, or spring motors to give the cutting blades the desired shearing action. As will be appreciated, those driven by electricity require a power source, While the spring actuated type are necessarily of fairly complicated structure, and are therefore subject to mechanical failure over a period of use.

There are other forms of dry shaving devices which are driven by the manual engagement of some portion of the shaving mechanism with the skin surface to be shaved but in general these again are of fairly complicated structure.

The present invention aims to provide improved dry shaving razor constructions that are uncomplicated in structure and function, making adapted to be place-d in contact with the surface to be shaved, face engaging traction members mounted for rotation. about a central axis, and blade-supporting elements mounted for rotation beneath l c een A plurality of cutting blades are mou. radially spaced apart relationship with their cutting edges disposed adjacent to the under side of the perforated screen surface and there are transmission means between the traction mem bers and the blade-supporting element.

More speci-ideally in one preferred construction of a dry .shaving razor in accordance with the present invention the face engaging traction members consist of a pair of spaced apart circular discs which are mounted between outer and inner casing portions of the razor, so as, to be free for rotation with respect to the perforated screen. Each traction member is shaped so as to be of circular form with the outer peripheral surface being toothed or serrated to provide maximum friction contact. Alternatively the outer peripheral surface of the traction member may be surfaced with a material giving it a more effective friction contact, for example, with rubber or the like. The axes, or shafts, on which the bladei each bladesupporting element in :u

supporting elements are mounted are provided at each end with a used gear and a large gear is provided on each of the traction members which is in meshed engagement with the blade supporting element gears so that the traction members counter-rotate the blade supporting elements at a multiplied speed upon rotation by friotional engagement with the surface to be shaved.

The blade-supporting elements are mounted for rotation beneath the perforated screen so that they support the cutting blades in yielding contact with the under surface of the perforated screen. The cutting blades utilized may be of a variety of forms, all of which are substantially self-sharpening when embodied in the present razor construction.

in an alternative form of the present razor construction, a similar shaving mechanism is combined with a supporting casing and utilizes a single circular traction member centrally disposed between two sets of rotatable blade supporting elements. Similar driving and driven gears are provided on the traction member and blade supporting elements respectively so that rotation of the traction member through frictional contact with the surface to be shaved simultaneously counter rotates both sets of the blade supporting elements.

As before, the cutting blades utilized may be of a variety of forms, and may be made as integral parts of the blade supporting elements, or alternatively may be separate blade inserts tting into suitable slots or recesses provided in the blade supporting elements.

Both of the preferred constructions are designed so that the razor construction is of a handy portable size particularly adapted for carrying in the pocket and each is designed so as to have the minimum of working parts. This application is a continuation in part of United States patent application Serial Number 284,566, filed April 26, 1952.

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying' drawings illustrating by Way of example preferred construction of dry shaving razors in accordance with the invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view in perspective elevation of one preferred construction of a friction drive razor in accordance with the invention, lwith the top cover shown as being removed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view in side elevation and in a trans-axial direction of the Figures 6 through 9 are detail views in-section,

of several alternative cutting blade arrangements suitable for use in the vpresent l'raz'or 'construction.

Figure l is a top plan View showing an alternative razor construction embodying ysingle centrally disposed traction driving member.

.Figure il is a sec-tional view of Figure l0 .along the line li-H to illustrate the construction in more detail.

With particular reference to Figures l through Aof the drawings one preferred construction of a dry shaving razor in accordance with the kinvention includes an outer casing having a main casing portion ifi serving as a -handle when the razor is in use.

The casing I@ is made up of a pair of outer plates ia, 'liib which `are mounted yon a curved central vjoining plate ii. The plates lila, lh are provided with inwardly extending flanges I3 about the outer peripheral margins which nt into corresponding grooves iii provided on the joining plate l I.

A pair of inner plates la, |519 are also mounted on the joining plate Il in spaced apart relationship from each other and the plates Ilia, Hlb to 'form an inner compartment within the cas ing I9. The plates iba, lf'b include central openings il and a hollow cylindrical spacer Zit connects the plates Ita, leb, so as to surround and Iseal o these openings.

The main driving mechanism o the razor kis mounted on and between the plates Ida, |627 and the plates lila, lill) as follows: A pair of circular traction driving members 35a, 30h are mounted, one at cach side, between 'the plates 10a, Iic and liib, ll). Each traction member a, 3BE) is provided with an outer peripheral surface that is knurled or serrated as indicated at 33 and a large driving gear 3d which is concentrically disposed on the face of the member adjacent the plates i511, Mib. ,An annular space Ii is provided between the traction portion of the members 3fm, Mib and the gears 24 to provide a clearance for the application of the gears 34 in the drive to the cutting elements of the razor as will be described in more detail later.

The traction members 35m, Stb, also include concentric cylindrical extensions 31a, 37b having central openings 38 therethrough and which sl'idably fit through the openings l'l in the plates 16a, IGZ) to meet and interlock centrally forming a continuous spacer and connecting member for the traction members. In the construction shown the extension Ela, is shaped so as to slid ably t within the extension Slb interconnect-- ing the traction members for rotation with each other.

The casing plates lila, leb are provided with central openings it which are surrounded by inwardly extending bosses sila, 4th which lit within the outer ends of the traction member' openings 38 so as to constitute bearing members about which the traction members are adapted to freely rotate.

The side plates ia. I Elb and the traction members 30a, Sill) are retained in assembled condi tion by screws 33 passing through the openings l0 into threaded engagement with each end of a spacing sleeve bushing 52 ntting freely within the opening 38 provided in the traction member extensions.

The cutting mechanism of the Vrazor `is mounted as a unit in a removable assembly consisting of side plates ia, 60h, connected at the ends by spacers G2. A perforated screen E4 is mounted on the side plates 6ta, Elib and retained by screws E?! engaging the spacers 82. The screen S4 is shaped to lprovide a series of regularly spaced apart Ylfiemisp'herical corrugations and the side `plates are correspondingly contoured along the upper edges. The side plates 60a, Seb are each provided witha plural-ity of radially-'spacedlapart elongated openings 86. Blade supporting members 68d, 68D and 'dc are `mounted between the plates 63a, till?, by shafts 10a, 10b, 10c, respectively extending through the `openings 60. The ends of the shafts 19a, lb, '10c extend beyond the 4plates 60a and -Stlb at each side and gears 88a, Bb and Sile are press fitted on these shaft ends.

The cutting head assembly is secured in operative position by means of screws 90 threadably engaged with the pla-tes 15a, IBb at each side. The top portions of the -inner plates I'Ea, Ivb 'are recessed as indicated at 91 so that the lower edges or the plates Elia, A@lib Tit snugly in this recess. When assembled in this manner the driven gears a, 58h, Bile 'are accommodated in the clearance space 36 between the gears 34 'and the outer surface 'of the traction members with the gears in `me'shed engagement with the gears 34 at each side.

Elongated 'springs 9m, Sib, are mounted on each side of the plates Gita, Elib and are shaped in an undulating contour so `that a `portion of the spring bears against the ends of each `of the shafts 10a, lill), 'itc 'at each side resiliently urge ing, due to the elongation of the openings t6, the blade supporting member 68a, 58h, 68e up- Wards towards the inner surface of the perforatedscreen 64.

vEach of the blade supporting members 68a, 68h, 68e, carries a plurality of cutting blades which `may be integral extensions vof the supporting member or alternatively, as shown, may be separate 'blade inserts mounted in radially spaced apart slots .provided in the supporting members. These blades may be of the form shown in the preferred vconstruction and indicated at 100,01' alternatively may be of other forms or arrangements as shown in Figures G through 9.

With particular reference to Figure 6, va blade supporting member H53 is provided with seven straight edged blades ill! disposed in radially spaced apart relationship. The blades lill are grooved adjacent the cutting edge at each side as Yindicated at m3 so that the `blades will be sharpened as they are worn by their contact with the screen E4.

yFigure 7 shows an alternative blade form l|02 of a substantially T-shaped form so as to .provide a double cutting edge to each blade with the blades mounted on a supporting member 68d 'in a vsimilar arrangement as that 'shown in Figures '1 through 5.

Figure 8 shows a further alternative of blade form 04 as being mounted on a supporting member M95 so that the blades have the cutting edges disposed obliquely with r spect to the perforated screen 5ft.

Figure 9 shows in more detail the cutting blade arrangement of the construction shown in Figure 1l wherein. the blades its are disposed in spiral fashion presenting four elongated cutting edges. Preferably, in this form the blades Hit are integral extensions of the supporting member.

With particular reference to Figure 11 there is shown an alternative construction wherein a vsingle traction drive member is mounted cen trally of the casing and two sets of blade supporting members are mounted at each side of the traction member in radially spaced apart relationship in the manner of the preferred construction. In this construction the lower casn ing is made up oi side plates I lith mounted to a curved joining plate Iii which also serves as a base and a support for spaced apart pairs of inner plates lita, i ib and Hdd, llilb. The plates, lita, Heb, are each provided with a central opening Mil and bosses itl? which extend inwardly from each plate and surround the openings Mil. The plates iisd, lith, Hilo i |91) each include a central opening HS.

The traction drive member is provided with I a knurled or serrated outer peripheral surface 59 to provide maximum friction Contact and also includes annular recesses iti at each side adjacent the outer periphery to provide a clearance space for the working of the `driven of the blade supporting members as described in the preferred construction. Large driving gears l52a, li'b are 'provided on each side of and concentrically with the driving member iti! and concentric extensions l'iZa, llb extend irom the member i3@ at each side. The extensions l'iZa, l'lZb include a central opening ltd there-- through and slidably :lit through the openings Mil of the plates lita, lith, lisa, lieb so that the bosses it?! of the plates Htc, lith nt the end of the opening IM to serve as bearings for the rotation of the drive member it. As in the ,earlier construction described, the casing side .Hill and threadably engaging the ends of a spacing sleeve bushing l Et mounted within the opening mit o1" the traction member extensions.

In this construction, blade supporting members, a, llb, lede and lita, lith, lido are mounted on corresponding shafts 5241, limb, deze and lita: ilb, E'Wc respectively between the opposing side plates Mita, ISilb and mia, i325, of a pair of cutting heads similar to that shown in the nrst construction (Figure 4). As in the earlier construction, contoured perforated screens laila, Itoh are mounted on the side plates Hita, 18th. The ends of the shafts of the supporting members nt through and beyond elongated openings l arranged in radially spaced .apart relationship in the side plates lila, llbb and Illia, l B2b and driven gears lllla, 252th are mounted on these shaft ends.

As is shown in Figure 9, the blades lilo in the supporting members are disposed obliouely or spirally relative to the axis of the members so that each blade presents a longer cutting edge to the respective perforated screen upon rotation. Contoured springs mdc, lush, are. disposed at each side oi the cutting head assem- `6 blies and are mounted on the side plates 18M, limb, l82a, |82?) so as to` act against the blade supporting shaft ends resiliently urging the members and the blades upwards towards the perforated screens.

The cutting heads or assemblies are secured to the inner casing plates by suitable screws engaging the plates IISG, H617, ll9a, H91), the upper edges of these plates being provided with backing plates 2l'2 for this purpose. When assembled in this manner the driven gears Zulia, 253th are in meshed engagement with the driving gears 1526i, i521?, so that rotation of the member R38 through frictional contact with the sur face to be shaved causes a multiplied counterrotation of the sets of blade supporting members producing the desired shaving action. As in the rst described construction, a cover member H2 is provided to complete the casing.

In both razor constructions, there are provided openings Elba, Zibb in the joining members li and Il! respectively which lead into the inner compartments to provide a means of discharging any cut hair dropping from the cutting blades to the interior of the devices.

I claim:

l. A manually operated dry shaving razor construction comprising a casing, a perforated screen .ixedly mounted within said casing, at least one circular traction drive member mounted for rota tion. about a central, axis within said. casing and having an outer peripheral skin engaging surface extending bey-ond said perforated screen, a plurality of blade supporting elements mounted in radially spaced apart relationship for rotation within said casing beneath and adjacent to said perforated screen, a plurality of cutting blades mounted in eoual spaced apart relationship on each of said blade supporting elements with the cutting edge of each blade adapted to contact the underside of said perforated screen in sequence, transmission means between said traction drive member and each of said blade supporting olements whereby rotation of said traction member through irictional contact with the slain surface to be shaved causes a multiplied counter-rotation of said blade supporting member.

2. A dry shaving razor construction as claimed in cla-isn l wherein there are two circular trac tion drive members mounted in spaced relationship within said casing, one at each side of saidl perforated screen.

3. A. manually operated dry shaving razor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transmission means between said traction drive member and said blade supporting elements comprises, a driven gear connected to each of said blade supporting elements and a drive gear of greater di- 'ameter than driven gears concentrically mounted on traction drive member in meshed engagement with driven gears.

fi. A drt' shavi razor as claimed in claim l wherein said caof circular form and is in two unedual. par h. tb l upper part removable and said traction e perforated screen,

blade supporting elements and associated transiegeoen'ze t ithinisaid casing beneathandladjscenr to earch.

'oSsaid'perforated' screens, a plurality of cutting blades mounted in spaced apart relationsllipy on e'ac'h" of said blade'esupporti'ng elements with 'the 'eilitting edge .ci eaclibl'ade adapted to Contact Itlie vunders'ideof-,said perforated screens inse'- lsilence;trairismission means :between said traction drive" member and each offsaid blade 'supporting "len ntsA whereby' rotationofsaid. traction' mem-- throueli'filctl Contact withthe skinisurstruction as claimedin claim'wher'ein 'there are l two spaced apart opposed pairs of inner partitiontraction vdri-ve -memberiis mounted between 'said pairs of partitiohing'walls, said blade supporting fm'embers beingeachy I'nciuntedv in a shaft jeurnalled between the opposing walls of one of said pairs of 'inner' partitions.

'8'. rA dry shaving razor as claimed in' claim 5 Iwherein said casingl is" o'circular form and -isin twoi unequal parts with thev upper part removable and 'said' traction member, perforated screens, blade" supporting elements and associated transmission meansare' mounted ini saidlower part.

`9. 1A manually operated dryfshaving razor construction'compr-ising, acircularrcasing having a major lower portionand a minor removable' upper'portion, a perforated'screen` mounted in and extending radially above saidlower casing portion, a pair of circular `traction drive '-members mountedr inv spaced" apart relationship for rotation within said casing, sa-id traction members being disposed one at eachside ofsaid-perforatedscreen withv theirfouter peripheral -surfacesextending beyond said screen, a plurality of blade supporting'merabers mounted in radially spaced' apar-t relationship within said casing for 'rotation' adjacent to said perforated screen,` a plurality of cutting bladesmoun-ted on `each of saidV blade supporting elements in equal. spaced apart relationship with the cutting edge 'of 'each bladefadapted .A

to contact the underfsurface ofsaid perforated .screen in sequence, and transmissionI means between said traction drive members andsaid blade supporting elements whereby rotation ofv the traction drivev members through frictional contact with the skin surface to be shaved` causes a multiplied counter-rotation of each of said blade supporting elements.

.10.- Amanually operated dry shaving razor as claimed in claim 9 wherein the transmission 6 means between sa-id traction drive member and said-.blade supporting elements comprises; a driven elements'and vadr-ivegear of greater? diameter .than said@ driven gears .concentricallyi mounted'I on each of said?- tractionf drive membersl mashed engagement with said driven gearsiv 1.1. Am'anually operated 'dry vshaving razor `construction asfv claimed in claim 9 Whereinthere 'area pair of inner partitioning walls'mouted' in spaced apart relationship within said'casin'g' and said` drive tractionfmembers are mounted betweensaidpartitioning `Walls and casing, said blade supporting members each being mounted on a shaft journalled betweensaid? partitioning walls;

1'2. A manually operated dry shaving razoriconstruction` comprising,v a circular casing having-a major lower portion anda minor removable upper portion, a pair' of perforated screens mountedwin andextending radially above said lower` casing' portion, a circular tractionV drive member mounted for' rotation within said casing lower portion, lcircular traction drive member mountedfor rotation within said casing lower portion andA between. said perforated screens with'lthe outer peripheral surface extending beyond said screens, afpluality of blade supporting members'v mounted in radially spaced apart relationship withinisai'd casing atleach side of said traction member andbeneat'h ande-adjacent toA saidperforated screens; for rotationL relative to said screens, a'plurality Vof cutting blades mounted on each of said blade supporting elements inv equally spaced-apart' relationship with vthe cutting edge of each bladeadapted to contact the underside of one of 4said screens in sequence', transmission means between said traction drive members and said blade supporting elements whereby rotation of said traction drive-members with the skin Surface to be' shave'dcauses a multiplied counter-rotation of saidl blade supporting elements; i

13. A manually" operated dry shaving' razor as claimed in claim'lZ wherein the transmission means between said traction drive: member and said blade supporting elements comprises, a driven' gear' connected'- to each of: saidblade sup'- porting elementsandja drive gear of greater diameter than said driven gears concentrically mounted onsaid traction drive member in meshed engagement with said driven gears.

i4; A manually operated dry shaving Vrazor construction as claimed in claim 12 wherein there are' two spaced apart opposed pairs' of inner partitioningwalls mounted within said `casing 'andsaid `traction drive" member is mounted between said pairs ofy partitioning walls, said blade s'upportingmembers"being each mounted in a shaft journalle'dvbetween the'opposing walls of 'one of said 'pairs'of inner partitions,A e y u EMILIN BOBKOWICZ.

References'dited'in thefileof this patent FOREIGN PATENTS Number 

